In this episode, the first of this podcast, I really wanted to cover something that has been weighing heavy on my heart and mind for a while now, which is the coming split of the United Methodist Church and what it says about and means for Christianity as a whole.

In part one, I’ll cover:

• The UMC’s history on LGBT issues, which is part of the current debate that has led to this fracture
• The disaffiliation process for the churches that decide to leave the denomination
• The differences between the doctrinal standards of the United Methodist Church and the Global Methodist Church’s proposed doctrine

Then in part II, I’ll go over:

• The specific differences in the doctrine itself
• The potential effects those rules might have for the people who choose to join the Global Methodist Church
• How I feel about and am impacted by these decisions on a personal level

During my research for these episodes, I have read through several iterations of the UMC’s Book of Discipline as well as many of the available foundational documents that currently exist for the Wesleyan Covenant Association and Global Methodist Church.

While I have made every attempt to provide an accurate representation of the information they contain, I would encourage each of you to refer to and read them yourselves if you have any questions about their contents. 

For specific concerns, I would advise you to seek the counsel of a trusted spiritual advisor, keeping in mind any potential biases they may have.

Episode References:

1968 Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church
https://archives.gcah.org/handle/10516/10001

1972 United Methodist Church Book of Discipline
https://archives.gcah.org/handle/10516/10002?show=full

2016 United Methodist Church Book of Discipline
https://www.ctcumc.org/files/fileshare/2016-book-of-discipline.pdf

2020 Proposed Revised Social Principles from the UMC Book of Discipline
https://www.umcjustice.org/documents/124

Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline of the Global Methodist Church (Updated April 12, 2022)
https://globalmethodist.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Transitional-Discipline.2022041289-1.pdf

The Use and Abuse of the Law: Public Opinion and United Methodist Church Trials of Ministers Performing Same-Sex Union Ceremonies by Christopher Waldrep
https://www.jstor.org/stable/23489464

Pew Research Religious Landscape Study (2014)
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/religious-landscape-study/

Pew Research  Modeling the Future of Religion in America
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2022/09/13/how-u-s-religious-composition-has-changed-in-recent-decades/

Stay UMC
https://www.stayumc.

Uncompromising Positions is a political podcast that cuts through the misinformation, myths, and misconceptions to provide fact-based education on complex issues.

Host Ashley Peters grew up in a conservative household in a very small, very rural, very red Texas town. She became involved in local and state politics in 2018 and began writing to encourage productive discourse.

https://www.facebook.com/ashleypeterswriter